Page 26 - India Economy

PSBs should focus on robust asset-liability & risk management: Sitharaman

Profit of public sector banks increased to Rs 1.04 trillion in 2022-23

Implementation of GST has brought in economic revolution: Puducherry LG

Puducherry Lt Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Saturday said the introduction and implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) in the country has brought in an economic revolution in the country. Addressing officers and tax payers at the celebrations of 'Six Years of GST' organised by the Commissionerate of GST and Central Excise (Puducherry), the Lt Governor said it (GST) marked a significant milestone in the indirect system of taxation. "It is a remarkable initiative in a diverse and federal country as multiple tax laws have been consolidated into a single system. It is no small feat," the Lt Governor said. She said tax compliance had also increased. "Where there is increased response and compliance the development of the nation is also ensured," the Lt Governor, who also gave away awards to the tax payers on the occasion said. Soundararajan said the GST Council meeting also took into consideration periodically the various views and feedback from Finance Ministers of state

India's external debt rises $5.6 bn to $624.7 bn at end-March 2023

India's external debt rose marginally to USD 624.7 billion annually at end-March 2023, although the debt-GDP ratio declined, as per a Reserve Bank data released on Friday. The external debt rose by USD 5.6 billion from USD 619.1 billion at end-March 2022. "The external debt to GDP ratio declined to 18.9 per cent at end-March 2023 from 20 per cent at end-March 2022," said the Reserve Bank's data on India's External Debt as at end-March 2023. Valuation gains due to the appreciation of the US dollar compared to the Indian rupee and major currencies such as yen, SDR, and euro were placed at USD 20.6 billion. "Excluding the valuation effect, external debt would have increased by USD 26.2 billion instead of USD 5.6 billion at end-March 2023 over end-March 2022," the central bank added. At end-March 2023, as per the data, long-term debt (with original maturity of above one year) was placed at USD 496.3 billion, recording a decline of USD 1.1 billion over its level at end-March 2022. The

Strong growth outlook to offset foreign mkt slowdown for India Inc: Fitch

India's resilient growth outlook will offset a slowdown in overseas markets for the country's corporates and easing input cost pressure will help widen their profit margins, Fitch Ratings said on Friday. Earlier this month, Fitch had raised India's economic growth forecast to 6.3 per cent for the current fiscal year 2023-24 from the 6 per cent it had predicted previously. The sustained economic growth will drive cement and petroleum product demand, with high-frequency data trending above pre-pandemic levels so far this year. India's rising infrastructure spending will also boost steel demand, Fitch added. "India's resilient growth outlook will offset a slowdown in overseas markets for the country's corporates and easing input cost pressure will widen profit margins by around 220bp in the financial year ending March 2024," Fitch said in a statement. Slowing demand in the US and the eurozone will moderate sales growth for the IT service sector. However, a corresponding easing of wage

Rising tomato prices: Heatwaves and heavy rain impact supply in India

Consumer affairs ministry maintains that these price hikes are normal for this time of year and are a temporary phenomenon while households cut back on their tomato budgets

Govt to sell tur dal from buffer stocks to millers for augmenting supply

The government will sell tur dal from its buffer stock to eligible millers as part of its efforts to boost domestic supply and keep prices under control. "The government has decided to release tur from the national buffer in a calibrated and targeted manner till imported stocks arrive in the Indian market," an official statement said. The Department of Consumer Affairs has directed National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) and National Cooperative Consumers Federation (NCCF) to dispose of tur dal through online auction among eligible millers to augment the available stocks for milling into tur dal for the consumers, it added. The quantities being auctioned and the frequency will be calibrated on the basis of the assessed impact of the disposal on the availability of tur to consumers at affordable prices. On June 2, the government imposed stock limits on tur and urad by invoking the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 in order to prevent hoarding and unscrupulous ..

US market share in apples, almonds, and walnuts plunged in five years

Similarly, the US-dominated as the source of shelled walnuts for India at 70% share in FY18 with Chile at a distant second with a 29.7% share

India to remove retaliatory customs duties on eight US-origin products

The duties on these eight US-origin products would revert to the current applied most-favoured-nation (MFN) rate after India notifies the rescinding of additional duties

At 23% spend, Andhra Pradesh leads laggards in state capex in FY23

Most large states have fallen behind their budgeted capex targets by a wide margin in FY23, which was pegged at Rs 7.4 lakh crore but could spend only Rs 5.71 lakh crore or 76.2 per cent only, according to an analysis. Only four states -- Karnataka, Sikkim, Arunachal and Bihar -- have over-achieved their targets, while Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh's capex spending stood at 98 per cent each. Eleven states fared better with 80 per cent target achievements, as per the analysis by Bank of Baroda economists. As against this, in FY21, the underachievement level was a high 72 per cent, primarily due to the pandemic emergency spending, and had improved to 95 per cent in FY22. Surprisingly, none of the 25 states whose data are available has been able to achieve the target by even three-fourths as the peak success rate is only 72.4 per cent, according to the analysis. This is surprising as the Centre had disbursed the required amounts for the year. The poor show was led by Andhra, which cou

India's steel production rises 4.1% in May, global output falls 5%

India has registered a 4.1 per cent growth in its crude steel production at 11.2 MT amid 5.1 per cent downfall in the global output at 161.6 MT in May 2023, according to the World Steel Association (worldsteel). Despite a 7.3 per year-on-year (y-o-y) fall, China remained the top steel producing country in May with 90.1 MT crude steel production, worldsteel data showed. India produced 11.2 MT crude steel, up 4.1 per cent over May 2022, the body said in its latest report. Japan's output was also 5.2 per cent down y-o-y at 7.6 MT. The United States produced 6.9 MT steel registering a 2.3 per cent fall annually. Russia is estimated to have produced 6.8 MT, up 8.8 per cent. South Korea registered a marginal fall of 0.1 per cent to 5.8 MT. While Germany produced 3.2 MT, Brazil 2.8 MT, Trkiye 2.9 MT and Iran produced 3.3 MT in May 2023. Brussels-based World Steel Association is one of the largest industry associations in the world, with members in every major steel-producing country. I

Govt authorises DGFT for TRQ items allocation under new India-Nepal Treaty

The commerce ministry's arm DGFT has been authorised to allocate and monitor imports of 10,000 tonne of copper products and 2,500 tonne of zinc oxide from Nepal under a concessional customs duty provision of a treaty between the countries, according to a public notice. The directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT) will be the designated authority for allocation and monitoring of all TRQ (tariff rate quota) items under the revised India-Nepal Treaty. Under TRQ, a specified quantity of an item is allowed for export or import at concessional customs duties. Beyond that quantity, the product attracts normal duties. "DGFT is authorised for allocation and monitor of 10,000 MT of TRQ of copper products...and 2500 MT of zinc oxide from Nepal," the public notice said on Thursday. It said the allocated quota to each manufacturer/exporter on a quarterly basis would be communicated by the designated authority of Nepal to DGFT. Imports will be permitted through the land customs stations at .

Rupee likely to strengthen to 80-per-dollar in 2024: BofA India treasurer

The rupee is up nearly 1% against the dollar so far this year against depreciation in most other Asian currencies

India, UK conclude another round of talks on free trade agreement: Official

Technical discussions were held across 10 policy areas in over 50 separate sessions, according to statement

UK's duty benefit scheme withdrawal may impact Indian goods' exporters

The UK's decision to withdraw duty benefit scheme GSP may impact Indian exporters from certain labour-intensive sectors such as leather and textiles as they were the major beneficiaries, according to experts and traders. The UK is replacing the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) with a new Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) from June 19. Labour intensive sectors, including certain textile items, leather goods, carpets, iron & steel goods and chemicals may get impacted due to this. Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said the US, European Union (EU), Australia, Japan and many other developed countries grant unilateral import duty concessions to developing countries under their GSP schemes. "As the UK has come out of the EU, it has designed its own GSP scheme. Each country sets a product-wise threshold limit, if a country's exports cross the limit, the GSP concessions stop. The UK withdrawing GSP concessions on labour intensive products was expected as the two ...

Govt reform measures helping Indian economy to grow at faster pace: Goyal

The commerce and industry minister also said that the government has managed the rate of inflation in single digits

Reserve Bank of India may need to pump in funds on liquidity crunch

GST payments and quarter-end credit demand may lead to such a situation

Markets are pricing in some risks to growth: Julius Baer India's Kulkarni

India has emerged as a favourite destination for investors amid global developments, and the growth prospects here are catching the attention of many, says Unmesh Kulkarni, MD, Julius Baer India

Chamber India to take delegation to global south nations: Abhinav Balyan

The Chamber of Commerce, Sustainable Development and Foreign Relations on Friday said it will be taking delegations to eight global south destinations to explore opportunities for Indian business with a view to increasing the country's exports. Global south region includes Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Asia. Chamber of Commerce, Sustainable Development and Foreign Relations or Chamber India President & CEO Abhinav Balyan said that they are focusing on increasing exports and enhancing cooperation with the Global South nations. "We would be taking a delegation to 8 global south destinations to create more opportunities for Indian business and increase our exports," he said here at the Chamber India-Global South Meeting. He added that the chamber will organise these meetings in the state capitals with foreign delegations to explore business opportunities for all states. Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur, Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Kapil ...

India's forex kitty declines by $1.32 bn to $593.75 bn, shows RBI data

The overall reserves had jumped by $5.93 billion to $595.067 billion for the previous reporting week

India pitches for a rating upgrade with Moody's, questions methodology

A higher rating for India would mean the nation is less riskier, translating into lower interest rates on borrowings